A Real Live Hero by Kimberly Van Meter

Author:Kimberly Van Meter
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-10-06T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

DELAINEY WIPED ANGRY TEARS from her cheeks and stomped away from the truck, hurt and betrayed that Trace would force her hand like this. He knew she’d do anything to make this project succeed, and to have Trace make her a devil’s bargain was reprehensible.

“Delainey, wait,” Trace called out, chasing after her. She ignored him and kept walking, but he caught up to her fairly quickly. She couldn’t outrun him, so instead she cast him a dirty look. “Listen, I know you don’t like what I have to say, but someone has to tell you things straight. Your dad might very well be a bastard and a terrible father, but if he goes to his grave without you being able to say what you need to say, you’re the one who’s going to suffer.”

“How do you know? Maybe I’ll be just fine,” she shot back. “Last time I checked you weren’t a psychologist.”

“No, you’re right. Maybe I’m not qualified to give anyone advice, but I’ve seen plenty of situations where pent-up emotions have caused a lot of damage to the person left behind. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”

Delainey’s heart leaped at his admission, and she berated herself for the involuntary reaction. “Why do you care?” she asked in a low voice, almost afraid of his answer.

He pushed his hand through his hair and then shrugged as if he didn’t know the answer. “I’m not ready to look that deep. All I know is how I feel.”

What had she expected—a declaration of undying love? And if she’d gotten that, how would she have handled the responsibility? It was better this way. She accepted his answer and nodded. “Okay, so even if you’re right and I should hash things out with my dad, don’t you think that’s selfish on my part? I mean, if the man is dying, why should I make things worse by burdening his last days with my childhood scars?”

“I’m not saying you should march into his hospital room and start detailing all the ways he was a terrible person,” he clarified. “I’m saying you need to find your peace. The truth is, he can’t change the past, no matter how remorseful he may be.”

She cut him a sharp glance. “What makes you think he’s remorseful?”

“What makes you think he’s not?”

Delainey snorted. “My father is remorseful for nothing. To feel remorse, one has to admit guilt, and my father doesn’t apologize for anything.”

“Dying has a way of softening a person. Maybe you ought to give him a little slack and see what he does with it.”

She closed her eyes and slowly realized maybe there were signs if only she’d been open to seeing them. She worried her bottom lip as she considered everything Trace had said. Finally, she looked to him and said, “Okay, I’ll go. But if he turns out to be the same bastard I grew up with, he can die and go to hell for all I care. Got it?”

“Sounds fair to me.

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